GSFreeRider-For the love of the open road

Main menu

Category Archives: Rider Gear

Have you ever been for a ride longer than about 30 minutes and noticed a ringing in your ears afterwards? Or perhaps muffled hearing after a long ride? I know I have, especially after following a friend’s KTM with aftermarket exhaust! These are all signs of temporary hearing damage which may become permanent unless your ears are protected while riding.

The University of Southampton has conducted research into these effects and has published a paper which may be accessed at the link below. Essentially they found that noise can reach 116 db(A) at 195 kph. The noise generated by wind is also higher than the noise from the motorcycle as speed exceeds 60 or 70 kph. They also found that windscreen height and angle impact wind noise. Continue reading →

Bell, the iconic helmet brand, has just launched the 2010 range of “Star” full face helmets. Bell engineers have worked for almost three years improving the design of the helmet in an attempt to re-launch one of the most famous helmet brands of all time.